-
Desertification is degradation of land in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas.
-
It is caused primarily by human activities and climatic variations.
-
It does not refer to the expansion of existing deserts.
-
It occurs because dryland ecosystems, which cover over one third of worldâs land area, are extremely vulnerable to overexploitation and inappropriate land use.
-
Poverty, political instability, deforestation, overgrazing and bad irrigation practices can all undermine the productivity of the land.
